Souviere post card!  Thats got to be kept.  Its a classic!

Thanks for sharing. . I didn't know postcards existed then. . .(just kidding!)

Barbara, that's a nice mini history lesson.  Real estate has changed so much.  And I like your flyer.  I hope no one who bought in 1979 is still paying that 17%!

Just goes to prove that everything is relative. Wishing you continued success!

It is so cool to find something like this. Not only does it give you great ideas it gets you to stop and reflect. Thanks for the post and the picture.

That is a neat promo -- I think I'll try something along the same lines.

Barbar,

It alwalys brings back memories to wade through that kind of thing. I have a few of those kinds of old paper myself.

I am sure I have something old and similar from the early 90's. How much we change over the years not just on the outside but on the inside.

Barbara, I can always come to you an industry veteran for great perspective. This time historical perspective. Don't you love rummaging through old photos and see where we've come from? It is so fun. It does let you know how fast time moves on too.

Barbara,

Thanks for sharing a piece of your history with us. I certainly remember those times.

Steve

Wow you looked good in 93, and still look good.  Anyway your voicemail is a AT&T issue not a phone issue.  Same thing happens to me.  Sitting beside my phone and all of a sudden I have a VM.  Where that come from.

Love the old hair-do!  How fun.  I'm glad you're in the blogging world as well!

Cheers!

Barbara, good thing you have moved on to the Blackberry----drug dealers are the only ones left using pagers:)

Barbara,

     That is too cool!  I am glad we have the internet now, we still do mail-outs, but boy have they come a long way.  This is the type of thing scrapbooks are made for.  Good Stuff!

Use it again, but update it for today's market!  I think that could be a very powerful marketing piece!

Barbara,

I love this post!  I was flying for Eastern Airlines and buying my first property,  a condo in Reston around this time.  My friends thought I was crazy moving out of the city (Alexandria, VA) to some country village.  My interest rate was 13 1/2%.  Eastern was heading toward being taken over by Frank Lorenzo and I could hardly pay my mortgage.  Three years later, I sold my condo, got married, and had enough equity to buy a townhouse.  Today, Reston is the tech area of Northern VA and condos are very, very expensive.  In fact, I just had a client purchase a condo near where I had lived; they are selling for several hundred thousand more than mine did.

 I find real estate to sometimes be as turbulant as flying, but much more excitng and with many more benefits.  I only wish I had taken advantage of the highs and lows of previous markets when I was younger.  I would have been set for retirement. 

Barbara,

With a curly you don't look like yourself, great post!  That was a great brochure!

That is such an awesome postcard!!  I love stumbling across those treasures.  My parents just moved out of their long held home and I had missed a box when I moved out all those long years ago.  Journals, National Geographics, love letters, baseball cards.  There was just so much history in that box--my personal history.  It was great.  Thanks for sharing!

Barbara - perhaps you can incorporate this into some kind of marketing for today,  an email card campaign, or postcards.

What happenned to the glasses in the 1993 picture. Other than that and a little different hairstyle, you look quite the same. Especially the smile.

Now look who is getting featured!!!!!!  Congratulations Barbara----Steve will be whining again:)

we may be headed into a mini 1979 market correction. Things may approach full circle...

Chuck, you should save things.  Years later they are priceless to you or your kids!

Fernando, this was a large post card!  Half sheet of heavy paper.

Tracy, one guy that I sold a house to got an adjustable rate mortgage and it kept coming down and down.  Most people who had them started refinancing as soon as the rates dropped a wee bit.  He didn't and his just kept dropping.  I think it got down lower than anyone's refi.  He kept it til he bought another house.  So that was a good story.

John, thank you.

Charlie, thanks for enjoying the post and commenting.

Property Connections, feel free to use it.

Steven, show us some of your old papers.

Alan, show us some of your old ads.

Gary, it makes me sad to go to flea markets and see piles of personal photos thrown away.  Seems like the family should love those things and hold onto them.  They are our history.

Steve, thanks for comments.

Dick, I figured it was AT&T but you are so much fun to pick on. 

James, and just think.  You were my inspiration to text!!  Thanks for being my DC friend!!

But Charles, the phones still say, to page this person press #.  I always thought it would actually page the person, old style.  Imagine my surprise when I looked down and had a text message phone number.  My friend had tried to page me and he also didn't know that it just sent a number to me.  I'm slow but I gradually catch on.

And Charles, thanks for noticing the feature.  I had not noticed because I've been working!!  It is just screwy enough to be featured......but I did think it was a good card that I mailed out.

Josh and Kathy, I do have a scrapbook but the interesting thing was that my friends had kept it and found it when they were moving.  Thanks for comments.

David, it costs too much for postage now!! 

Tonya, my daughter bought a house around in the early or mid nineties and it too has increased a lot in value.  It was in Calif and she is now in GA but uses it as rental property and it has proven to be a good investment.  Thanks for comments.

Thanks, Mary.

Eagle Nationwide, thanks for the compliment on the card.  I thought it was fun when I mailed it out and am glad that people still feel that it is fun.

Mike, the glasses can be an off and on thing.  Readers if reading, distance if driving, nothing if doing household chores.  Perhaps vanity made me have them off in 1993.  In 1979 there were probably no bifocals.  Ha   Thanks for the comment.

Ed, yeegads, don't scare me to death.  I lived through that because I didn't know any better.  Now I'm old and wise......and hope we never had interest rates like that again!  Thanks for comments.

Blast from the past huh?  I love the big glasses.  I started in 1985 - rates were dropping from 13% - creative financing was the CRAZE!

That's pretty cool, Barbara. I should do something like that. Although, I started in the industry in 1974 as a title searcher, I got my real estate license in 1979, too! How weird is that? Of course, I'd have to scan photos, and my scanner went away with my old computer. I tried to scan on the office copy machine, which then emails documents, but it turned out really crappy.

That's a great promo...you can use it again, just add blogging, computing, virtual tours, webinars etc...a new internet world and language, imagine how that will look in a decade!  Thanks for sharing a great idea.

April, I'll bet lots of activerainers don't know what creative financing is.  That'll be another blog. lol

Elizabeth, buy yourself a Fujitsu ScanSnap.  You can do pdf or jpeg copies.  For this scan, I put it in a plastic holder and it is pulled through the scanner.  I don't own a flatbed scanner.  I had two of them and neither worked worth a toot.  I have my scansnap at the office and if I weren't so tight I'd get me one for home also.  You have a real advantage in real estate with title knowledge! 

Nancy, mailouts were sorta fun but lots of work.  I learned how to do the labels and print them with my computer.  I had Top Producer then.  When lightning got my computer I lost Top Producer and never went back to it.  Postage is very high now to do mailouts.  Thanks for comments.

I love that ad Barbara!!  I have found that longevity in this business definitely speaks for the individual.   Keep up the good work.  I have found that blogging has been one of the best things I could do for my business.

Barbara! That's one of the warmest and the best blogs I 've ever enjoyed. That's not a nostalgie. That's a great encouragement for everyone who wants to prosper in our business. Be creative and last long! Thank you for great post

Times certainly have changed!  I cringe when I look back at my old photos.  Of course, I cringe when I look at my new photos...  :)

Kimberly, I'm so glad you liked the ad.  Blogging is fun but I'm not sure if it has brought me any business.  Thanks for comments.

Svetlana, thanks for looking at my blog and commenting.  I love the way you call it a warm blog.  And I thought it was creative at the time.

Debi, you look great at any time in your life!  Thanks.

15 years with the same agency is amazing, I bet it cost a ton of money to get those designed & printed back then. Now you can create a postcard on express copy for peanuts and have it in  the clients mailbox before the end of the week

You need to frame that ad -- that is fantastic! 

How wonderful of you to share of this.  Thanks

Overland Park Michael, I can't remember what it cost or how many I mailed but it is certainly easier today.  RE/MAX is a good firm to be with.  I went to a lot of motivational seminars back then and they pushed mailouts.  I thank you for stopping by.

Kerry, I'm glad you like it.  Thanks for stopping by.

Love this. I save all my old advertising as well. Love your pics.

A blast from the past - How fun! I have an agent, started in 1982. I love to hear the creative financing stories she tells. She said they didn't know any better - do what could be done to get the property sold.

Barbara - I had a frizzy perm too back then. I bough my first house when rates were 17%. i wasn't a Realtor then but I can certainly relate...oh and my hubby had a polyester leisure suit!  

Christina, the old ones are so much fun to look back on, aren't they.  I'm glad you like the pictures.

Debbie, we did a lot of "wraps" which meant putting a loan on top of the loan that was already on it.  There were also lots of assumable loans because VA & FHA used to be assumable without even having a credit check! 

Carol, the frizzys were easy!!  We had a friend whose wife embroidered his leisure suit....all over with flowers and stuff.  He was a stand out at the dances.  I wish I had a picture of those suits.  I think she did two of them.  They'd be collectibles for sure. 

Barbara, thanks for sharing.  This is a fun post.  It's always interesting to see where you've been in comparison to where you are, and you've obviously done a great job!  Keep up the good work!

Times do change. It's great to take a trip back in time and remember how it was.

Barbara: It is always interesting to go back in time and look at old marketing material. What can we learn from this ?

Congrats on the featured blog.  How to you expect me to catch you at this rate.  My goal is to be up there beside in our fine state.  As long as ray stays retired I will make it

Congrats on the featured blog.  How to you expect me to catch you at this rate.  My goal is to be up there beside in our fine state.  As long as ray stays retired I will make it

Barbara,

Look how well you have adapted to the changes in marketing (and styles) over the years ; )

Love the ad!  Isn't it fun to look back?

Barbara:  I just really like the fashion statement you made in 1979 with the curly permed hair-do and those large lens glasses.  I need to print this, and take it to my hairdresser for my next "do."  :)  Thanks for sharing...  And... congratulations on the featured post and the gold star !

Those of us who have been in the business "forever" have sure seen a few changes...

MLS books - gone

Lockbox keys - gone

Pagers - gone

pay phones - gone

All were replaced by better thigns enabling our businss to grow.

Barbara, I wasn't in the business in 1979 - I was graduating from high school!!!

But you should see my collection of hair styles - and glasses!!! Hilarious!!! Long, short, curly, straight, blonde, brown, red - just can't settle in on one style for long.

When I worked for my previous company, I posted the pix through the years to show all the changes, and my clients were tickled, told people about it and sent the website around. Maybe it will show up as a post sometime...

Ryan, thanks for the favorable comments!

Wayne, it is fun to look back.

Roland, I guess looking back helps us see today.  I'm still working and trying to keep up with technology!

Dick, keep up the struggle.  I'd like having you on my right hand side. 

Christine, I hope I've kept up.

Kathy, it is fun!

Susan, what a great observation about what is gone.  I hated losing the MLS book and haven't got over it yet.  But you are right.  All was replaced with something better.

Karen Anne, I had many pairs of those big rimmed glasses.  In fact, I still have them and have thought about ebaying them.  They should be collectibles!  Thanks for your comments.

Dawn, I'd love to see the post of your hairstyles.  We have an agent who "irons" her hair to make it straight.  I can't imagine ironing hair.  We need to have a video of someone doing that since the flip videos are so easy!  lol

Barbara - Awww!  You're too nice, but thank you!   Congratulations on the featured blog!  :)

Wow! Seeing that postcard must have taken you back.  It's good to see the old stuff, it helps us see how far we've come.

Debi, you are welcome. : )

Tamara, going back also reminds you of how time flies and how you have aged.

how easily people forget that mortgage rates were once that high.  i have people call me for rate quotes and when i tell them mid 6% they freak out and say they are not paying that high of a rate and they will wait for them to go back down.  I tell them to call me in another 25 to 30 years if they are still interested.  LOL

Barbara, Thanks for sharing your past!  I love looking at old advertising, with the contrast in what we did then, versus what we're doing now.  All I can say is, "You've Come A long Way, Baby" (or something like that).  Have a super day!

This is a wonderful blast from your past!  Frame it and keep it over your desk.

Very creative and fun~

will you be posting your 2008 version?? :)

Wow, that is interesting. It's always good to go back and remember what we did years ago and remember the changes we have gone through.

Wow Barbara, you haven't changed a bit. ;-)

I'm afraid to look through my old stuff; there is literally no telling what's there.

Wow- that is some curly hair!  How cute and what a great memory for you to keep.

Amy, I remember in the late 80's when we had interest rates of around 10 to 12%, I was riding around with a builder (ex-banker) who said we'd have interest rates as low as 7% in a few years.  I thought he was lying!  No one ever expected them to be below 10%.  Do you know how many times some people refinanced!!!!  lol

Sandy, we'll all "come a long way, baby"  haven't we.  What a run!!

Jim, I'm glad you can see I haven't changed!  Inside, I truly haven't!

Karen, try curly sometime if you haven't already.  That perm dried my hair out so much a weekly shampoo was plenty!  And my hair has always had lots of oil.  ick!

Bob and Carolyn, going back is extremely interesting.  I'll have to dig out another one and put it up.

Don, you should see what I already have framed!

Jane, I haven't worked up anything for 2008.  Can't afford the postage.  lol

Is the Remax tagline still "Above the crowd" to this day?

Very cool that you shared this with us...thank you!

Georgia Real Estate Directory

Cool post.  I am still just a kid but I have been in the mortgage biz for 10 years now and wow have I seen a lot of changes.  It is funny right now because when I started we offered Conventional 30 year, a couple balloons and ARM loans, FHA and VA... we sent all the subprime out to a friend at GreenTree.  Then about 1 year into my career subprime starting popping up everywhere.  Now it seems like we are going backward to 10+ years ago before the subprime and 100% options where everywhere...

I hope we don't lose the internet and have to back to mail-outs though!!

Olan Carder
www.charlottemortgageonline.com

You were focused then....I'll bet your successful. Nice postcard. It would still work well today with some modern printing added.

Ah!  The frizzie hair. I had it too, but it was natural.  Folks used to ask me how I got my hair the way I did.  I told them, I shower, shampoo and shake.  Then, dang, the gray stuff came in limp, wavy and just, well, what can I say?

Time goes on and it's interesting to look back but not to dwell.  The future is the only thing over which we have a modicum of control. 

I recall the 17% interest rates, the S&L debacle, etc. 

Life goes on.  So does real estate although it's difficult today to figure out where and when it will go these day. 

GA-agent.com, we are still Above the Crowd. Thanks fro stopping by.

Olan, 10 years gives you a good history.  I used to be able to qualify my own buyers.  When they started doing all those new-fangled loans, I had to send them to the lender instead.  Good luck in your career.

Karl, I like to think I've been successful.  Thanks for comments.

Lenn, it sounds as if you've been around as long as I have.  The S&L debacle was there at my beginning.  I remember having someone from the Savings and Loan that was big in our town having a very important meeting that we were all invited to.  They were going to sell stock in it!  We were all encouraged to buy $2500 or so worth of stock.

I was tempted because they made it sound so good!  But in the end I declined and that was a very wise decision that I made.  Shortly after the end came.  I just hope banks don't end the same way.

Thanks for comments.

That is a great flyer!   The real estate business is always evolving and changing ... you just need to go with it.  Keep up the blogging!

Pippa, thanks for the encouraging words.  Blogging can take up a lot of time. 

Barbara....what a great piece of your real estate history! I'd have that mounted and framed and hang in your office!

Great posts with the before and after pics of your town as well. I've done some of those as well, and will keep doing them. I'm also creating my own library of how things look right now, as we have so much building (well, it has kind of slowed down now....ugh) that the scenery changes pretty fast!

Thanks for sharing your special town with us!

That is so cool and you are one HIP REALTOR then and now!